Brief History of Salt Rock

The copy was not very
clear and in those areas I could not read, I used the following: (?)

A
Brief History of the Salt Rock Two-Room Elementary School

The history of
Salt Rock Community begins in the latter part of the 18th
Century. A roving band of Indians from the Ohio River found its way up the
Guyan river, entering Giles County, Va. And stole sixty head of horses. The
band was pursued by a number of citizens of that county, among whom were
General McComas and Adam Hatfield, the father's of the McComas and Hatfield
families since so prominent in our community life and history. The horses
were found in the narrows between Walter Swan’s and Thomas McCallister’s on
land now owned by the latter. The Indians had them resting and grazing on
wild pea vine then so abundant in the woodlands everywhere.
Grand William Morrison, by name, in early days and before there
were any roads, carried salt on pack horses from the Kanawha Salt Works.
After the roads were improved he used oxen and a cart, and then when they
were still better he used an ox-wagon. Patrick H. Morrison and others
drilled a well along the river, a short distance below Salt Rock bridge.
The drilling was done by hand, or what they call a spring pole. How deep
the well was, they did not know, but they obtained salt water. Then they
procured large kettles, built a furnace and manufactured salt. Hence, the
name Salt Rock, which we like so well. The stones of the old furnace may be
seen today on the river bank near the bottom land owned by W.H. Fraley.
At the beginning of the Civil War, and even later, there were
several large land owners in this community. Hezekiah Swann owned
practically all the land on what is now known as Tom’s Creek, and
The farm at or
below the mouth of Cabell Creek, where Roach is now located. Solomon
Midkiff owned the land on the east side of Guyan River from a point just
below Salt Rock to the mouth of Upper tom’s Creek, a distance of nearly two
miles, and up Trace Creek for a like distance, besides a farm in Lincoln
County. John Porter owned the land on the west side of the river. Fronting
the river for near two miles and, running back to Smith’s Creek and Madison,
Robert Ross owned two large tracts, one on the head of Smith’s Creek and one
on Upper Madison.

The early people
manifested an interest in Education. One of the first school houses to be
built stood on the point where Walter Swann now lives. A man named Rube
Thacker was its first teacher. After that, but before the Civil War,
William Bramlet, and perhaps others, taught there. There was also a
schoolhouse located on Smith Creek near where William Paugh now lives,
teacher unknown. James Porter taught at the mouth of Smith Creek and at
Salt Rock. Then came William Alego, who taught at several schools near and
at Roach. The first free school in this vicinity, and perhaps the first in
McComas District, was built at the fall and winter of 1865. It was located
between Walter Swann’s and Thomas McCallister’s, and continued there for
about 9 years. Its first teacher was a man named Rodermer from Ohio.
Scholars attended this school from a distance of three and a half miles,
some of them thirty or thirty-five years old. Then came schools at Ousley’s
Gap, Merritt’s Creek, the Peyton School house on Trace Creek, and finally
two schools on Madison and one at Salt Rock. These schools continued four
months out of twelve and were very well attended. Gradually, the school
term has lengthened to 8 months.
The early
settlers came into the Community to work in the Salt Licks. There were
several salt wells at that time, and it was then that it was settled.
The settlers cam from many of the adjoining communities. They came with
ox-team and horses and their small supply of rude made furniture. They
engaged in the Salt Work which was a new industry for them. Most of them
had formerly been farmers. Some of the early settlers of this Community
were: John porter, James McComas, Solomon Midkiff, Roland Bias, Gabriel
Nelson, Patrick Keenan, Harvey Rolfe, William Gill, James Porter, Alex
porter, John Morrison, Peter Jordan, J.J. Rousey, John McCain, W.E.
Morrison, Jaruel Porter, And many others. Some of their descendants are
Abraham Lincoln Roberts, John porter, Irving Lucas and others.

Early Schools in the Community

The church was
built before the school and the children went to school in the church for a
long time. The nearest school to the first school at Salt Rock was on B.S.
Perry’s farm. The seats were just benches with no backs on them. The
county built the first school in this community. The first teacher of this
school was Joshua Kemper Heath, then a farmer. He had completed what we now
would consider the fourth grade, and came in this community from Tyler
Creek, Cabell County to teach school. He had never taught before. There
were about thirty children attending the first school. They didn’t go in
classes and grades as we do now, but in just any book they could obtain. If
they had an Arithmetic, they went in it, or a Speller, they went in it Etc.,
Men and women all ages attended the school. Some of the men had long black
beard.
The present building was erected August 1918. seventeen years
ago. There were approximately 25 attending the first school. The primer,
first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades were taught in the
building now standing.
There are 104 pupils now enrolled in this building. Grades are taught from
the Primer to the Eighth Grade Inclusive.
Teachers who have
taught in this community of Salt Rock are ; William Bramlet, George Keiser,
William Algeo, H. J. Rousey, Alexander (?) (possibly Donahoe), William Gill,
Elsie Gill, Suda Hech, Bertha Phipps, Faye Gill, (?)(possibly Dressler), Iva
Thornton, May Gill, Mr. Jaruel Gill, Charlie Bowling, Myrtle Swann, Opal
Hinchman, Ruby Ashworth, Lovie Gill, (?) (possibly Halda) Midkiff, Garnie
Sanson, Mayne Hutchinson, George Hutchinson, Will Carroll, J. A. Coffman,
Edgar Swann, W. E. Carter, Vivian Gothard, Wallace Broter, Ida Gill, Nettie
Bias, Evelyn Coffman, Ethyl Adkins, Lavonia Hilbert, Shirley Hinchman, Velma
Matthews Thelma Morrison Matthews.

Program of Activities

Our school maintains a
Parent’s Reading Circle which is enjoyed very much by the parents, and also
a Parent Teacher’s Association which is enjoyed by all the community as a
whole. And A Adult Education class was also established, which was attended
rather faithfully.

Values:

Our Community has
sponsored the feeding project for the school, which was helped by all the
Community.
The Board of Education is building two new rooms on Salt Rock
school which will make it a four room school next year. They are planning
on having a cafeteria, auditorium and a furnace, which will all be something
new to the school.

Palestine School

The school was
built by the County and B. B. Ray erected the building. This building is 45
years old. When the school was first built about 35 children attended. The
first 5 grades were taught. The first teacher of this school was Miss
Georgie Swann.
Some of the descendants of the first settlers in the Community
are: Charles McComas, Walter Swann, and Blackburn Bias. The early settlers
farmed most of the time. They raised everything they had to eat.
Some of the teachers who have taught at Palestine are: Thelma
Fellure, J. M. Fellure, Dorothy Lucas, Nettie Bias, Shirley Hinchman,
Benjamin Bledsoe, Jessie Hatfield, Myrtle, Lambert, Myrtle Swann, and many
others.

Walnut Grove School

Walnut
Grove school was first built in 1876. It was a one room log building. The
seats and teachers desk were all made out of logs. There was one window on
each side of the house. There was between 20 and 25 children attended the
first school. The first five grades were taught by someone who came to the
community to teach. Walnut Grove school is the oldest building in Cabell
County. The first teacher of this old building was Rev. Steele.

Some of the early settlers or
descendants of the early settlers were: Calvary Morrison, Burl Farley,
Burton Hensley, Eli Morrison, W. E. Morrison and others.
The first teacher in the present building was Anna Self. Some
of the other teachers are: Georgia Swann, Wallace Porter, Stewart Adkins,
Eva Morrison, Thelma Fellure, Ora Morrison, Lottie Bostic,

(At this point page 6 appears to be missing from the copy I obtained from
Marshall University)